Scripture for August 1

 Ephesians 4:1-16

Unity and Maturity in the Body of Christ

4 As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. 2 Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. 3 Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

7 But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it. 8 This is why it[a] says:

“When he ascended on high,
    he took many captives
    and gave gifts to his people.”[b]

9 (What does “he ascended” mean except that he also descended to the lower, earthly regions[c]? 10 He who descended is the very one who ascended higher than all the heavens, in order to fill the whole universe.) 11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

14 Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming. 15 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.

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Daily Prayer for July 30

 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. I was dead and behold I am alive forever and ever. Because I live, you also will live.

Daily Readings for Friday, July 30, 2021

• Morning Psalms 88; 148
• First Reading 2 Samuel 5:1-12
• Second Reading Acts 17:1-15
• Gospel Reading Mark 7:24-37
• Evening Psalms 6; 20

O God of grace, you have given us new and living hope in Jesus Christ. We thank you that by dying Christ destroyed the power of death, and by rising from the grave opened the way to eternal life. Help us to know that because he lives, we shall live also; and that neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate us from your love in Christ Jesus our Lord. By your power, great God, our Lord Jesus healed the sick and gave new hope to the hopeless. Though we cannot command or possess your power, we pray for those who want to be healed. Mend their wounds, soothe fevered brows, and make broken people whole again. Help us to welcome every healing as a sign that, though death is against us, you are for us, and have promised renewed and risen life in Jesus Christ the Lord. (Add your prayers.) Amen.

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

(Opening sentences, prayers, and blessings are from the Book of Common Worship. Readings are from the daily lectionary in Daily Prayer. Both are published by Westminster/John Knox Press.)

Returning to In Person Church

Our hair is whiter, our skin more wrinkled 

Our Children taller 

Our aches and pains more pronounced 

Many of us are slower and a bit heavier 

Some we barely recognize 

Others look exactly as they did before 

Our numbers are thinned 

We wonder if they are watching from home? Covid? Cancer or other diseases? Moved away? Or??? 

Holes left in the fabric of our lives and community 

Threads pulled, edges frayed 

Now we must rebuild and do our best to incorporate those left and those new to our community into the weave 

Pulling some back with threads of love, compassion, empathy and sympathy 

Others with support and encouragement 

Celebrating the things we can 

As we all work together to rebuild 

All of us longing for the past to “Reset” to the “Before Time” 

But knowing that we can’t go back 

But must go forward 

To Rebuild, Darn and Reweave our lives and our community 

Into a New Pattern, a New Beginning

A well loved tapestry rewoven

Dale Weir

Photo by ALAN DE LA CRUZ on Unsplash

Blood Drive August 15

 American Red Cross Blood Drive

8:30 AM – 1:30 PM

St. Mark Presbyterian Church

601 Claymont Drive, Ballwin, MO.

in Gleason Hall

The Red Cross is experiencing severe blood shortage at this time. Sign up for an appointment at RedCrossBlood.org/Donate/Blood and enter the Sponsor Code “Saintmarkpres” or download the Blood Donor app to your iPhone.

The need is very great to ensure blood is available during emergencies when every second matters and needed surgeries and treatments for leukemia, cancer and sickle cell disease is not delayed.

BE THE ONE WHO BRINGS HOPE AND HEALING TO THOSE PATIENTS IN NEED.

For dates August 1-15 donors will be entered for a chance to win an exclusive VIP journey for two to the 2021 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival. Also, youth donors ages 18-24 only will be entered to win an exclusive Apple tech package during the month of August.

Order of Worship for July 25, 2021

 

John 6:1-21

“Crust and Crumbs”

 

Hymns:

#260 – “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus”

#772 – “Live into Hope”

 

CENTERING PRAYER

 

Triune God, shepherd of your people Israel, you provide for us far more than we expect or imagine possible. Calm our fears; speak peace to us; lead us beyond ourselves. Gather us with all the saints in the church to glorify you for your mighty deeds. We pray this in the strong name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

CALL TO WORSHIP

 

God created all things visible and invisible.

God provides bread for the stomach and food for the spirit.

God is able to accomplish abundantly more than we could ask or imagine.

Let us worship our giving and forgiving God together.

 

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

 

God of wonder, we confess our sins and pray for your help. Deliver us from the temptation to hide from you, to lie to you, or to excuse the harm we cause to others. Forgive us the curse we bring upon the earth. Restore your creation to full health and feed the multitudes from the abundance of your merciful power. Grow in us a deeper desire to love Christ with the fullness of your love. (Silent Confession)

 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH – The Apostles’ Creed

 

OFFERING

 

God provides seed for the sower and bread for the hungry; the Lord provides enough for us to share. Let us give God thanks and praise as we present our tithes and offerings. Please pray with me.

 

O God, creator of rain, sun, and soil, we thank you for the abundance of the earth. We know there is more than enough for everyone. Help us to recognize our abundant blessings and share freely with those in need. Fill the world with the Spirit of Christ so food, medicine, and peace flow freely. Bless these offerings, we pray. Amen.

 

Scripture for July 25

 John 6:1-21

Feeding the multitudes
by Bernardo Strozzi,
early 17th century.

Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand

6 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.

5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”

8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”

10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.

12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.

14 After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, “Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world.” 15 Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself.

Jesus Walks on the Water

16 When evening came, his disciples went down to the lake, 17 where they got into a boat and set off across the lake for Capernaum. By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them. 18 A strong wind was blowing and the waters grew rough. 19 When they had rowed about three or four miles,[b] they saw Jesus approaching the boat, walking on the water; and they were frightened. 20 But he said to them, “It is I; don’t be afraid.” 21 Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.